Latching mechanism



Sept. 25, 1956 H. F. GEORGE LATCHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1953 J flier-g)? 612 5 64 Sept. 25, 1956 H. F. GEORGE momma MECHANISM 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed April 23, 1953 .ifarr W "Ill Jar 2,12% 3.176601 M r rzgy.

United States Patent LATCHING MECHANISM Harry F. George, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 23, 1953, Serial No. 350,681

6 Claims. (Cl. 70-146) This invention relates to latching mechanism, and while more particularly adapted for metal doors, it is capable of use in wood doors, and in such other connections to which it may be adapted.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of simplified but effective means for connecting and operating the latch bolt from the knob-operated main shaft, with the latch bolt offset laterally from the main shaft. In latching mechanism for doors and the like as heretofore known, the longitudinal axis or center line of of the latch bolt, and the longitudinal axis of the main shaft, generally lie in approximately a common plane, which involves an expensive and complicated structure that is difficult to assemble, and that is likely to get out of order and require repairs or a new mechanism. In the present invention this has been overcome by providing an improved, simplified construction in which the latch bolt is laterally offset from the main shaft, the parts are easily assembled, and which is effective and durable in operation.

Among the objects of my invention are: to provide a new and improved latching mechanism; to provide a latching mechanism in which the latch bolt is laterally offset from the main shaft; to provide novel locking means that can be manually selectively set to locked or unlocked position from the inside of the door, and when the door is closed the locking means may be selectively set to locked or unlocked position by a key from the outside at which time the manual inside locking means can be operated independently of the key operated means; to provide novel latching mechanism adapted for use in either a metal door or a Wood door; to provide latching mechanism having a pull-back bar that may be either fixed or hinged to the latch bolt, depending upon whether it is to be used in a metal or a wood door; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities, inherently possessed by my invention, as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein preferred embodiments I wish it understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, horizontal, transverse section through one edge portion of a metal door, taken on a plane just above the latch bolt, of a latching mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical, side elevation of the outside of a metal door, and looking toward the outside knob of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but looking toward the inside of the door.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and showing the lock bolt in unlocked position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the lock bolt in locked position.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the zig-zag line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, vertical section through a portion of the tubing at the latching edge of a metal door, and showing in dotted lines two different positions of the pull-back bar and latch bolt assembly during insertion thereof into the tubing, and in assembled position with relation to the main shaft.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modified form of pullback bar and latch bolt assembly for use in wood doors.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the assembly of Fig. 10, and showing the pull-back bar in dotted lines as swung out for insertion into the opening in a wood door, and in solid lines in its operative position.

In the form shown for illustrative purposes in the drawings, my invention comprises generally, a latch bolt 1 having connected thereto, by a pin or the like 2, a pullback bar 3 having a semicircular edge 4 adapted to be seated into a complemental semicircular slot 5 formed in the tubular extension 6 of the main shaft 7, said shaft and tubular extension having fixed thereto at one end the outside knob 8, and at the other end the inside turning handle 9. As seen in Figs. 4 and 9, the latch bolt 1 is laterally offset from the main shaft 6-7 in a direction radially of said shaft. Mounted on the latching mechanism, inside of the door, is a locking device later herein more fully described.

As seen in Fig. 5, the main shaft 6-7, is rotatably mounted in holes 10 and 11 formed in the opposite side walls of the marginal tubing of a metal door. The outside knob 8 is screw-threaded onto the outer end of the tubular extension 6 of the main shaft, and when the inner circumference of the beveled surface 12 of the knob registers with the outer end of said tubular extension, the knob and tubular extension are permanently secured together by an Allen set screw 13 having a .malleable ball forced thereinto by an additional set screw. The inner face of the hub 14 of the knob 8 has rotatable sliding contact with the adjacent side wall of the marginal tubing of the metal door as the knob is rotated. Rotation of the knob thus rotates the main shaft 6-7 with it.

Rotatably mounted in the inside of the tubular extension 6 of the main shaft is a locking shaft 15 having mounted in its outer end a conventional tumbler lock 16. Shaft 15 has a flanged outer end 17, and the outer end of the tumbler lock is provided with a key hole 18 to receive an appropriate key for operating the tumbler lock, to cause the locking shaft 15 to rotate, inside of the tubular extension 6, with the key as the key is re tated, and to rotate with the tubular extension 6 when the key is removed from the tumbler lock. This rotation of locking shaft 15 Within the tubular extension, when the key within the tumbler lock is rotated, is effected against the slight radially inward thrust of the ball 19 seated within the slightly larger hole 20 in the tubular extension 6 of the main shaft, ball 19 being normally seated in a depression 21 formed in the exterior of the locking shaft 15, under action of a bowed spring 22 seated within the arcuate groove 23 formed in the inner surface of the hub 14 of the knob 8. This light thrust of ball 19 in depression 21 prevents any undue looseness between the locking shaft 15 and the tubular extension 6, at the same time permitting relative rotation between this shaft and extension when required, and also facilitates the positioning of the locking shaft 15 so that the tumblers in the tumbler lock will be in registration with a recess in the tubular extension 6 for locking the locking shaft with relation to the tubular extension when the key is withdrawn from the lock.

Referring back'to the latch bolt 1, and as seen in Fig. 4, the latch bolt is longitudinally slidable in a tube 24 fixed at its outer end to an anchor plate 25, which in turn is secured by screws or the like 26 to the outer edge face of the door' marginal tube 27, to be seated in the channel thereof. The inner end of tube 24 is closed, except for a slot 28, through which slidably extends the extended end 29 of the pull-back bar 3. This extended end 29, at its-right'hand end as viewed in Fig. 4, is fitted into a slot 30 in the rear end of the latch bolt 1 and fixed to the latch bolt by pin 2;. Mounted between the edges of the extended end 29- and the inner Wall of the tube 24, is a coiled compression spring 31, which at one end presses against the inner end of the latch bolt and at its other end presses against the inner closed end of tube 24. This normally urge's'the latch bolt 1 outwardly of the tube, the maximum of such outward movement being when shoulder 32 of the pull-back bar 3 strikesthe inner closed end of tube 2.4.

This permits the latch bolt 1 to be pushed inwardly when its beveled edge portion 33, see Fig. 1, cams over the'strike lip 34 of the keeper plate in the door frame when closing the door, and then snap into latched position. through the customary hole in the keeper plate, under action of the spring 31. As seen in Fig. 4, the semicircular edge 4. of the pull-back bar 3, seats in the semicircular slot of the main shaft, when the tubular extension 6 of the main shaft is in its normal position with the door latched. closed. The ends of the semicircular slot 5 thus form two shoulders 35 and 36, one or the other of which bears. against the respective adjacent end of the semicircular edge 4 of the pull-back bar 3 when the knob 8, or handle 9, is rotated in one direction or the other. This rotation of the knob or handle rotates the main shaft, and through, shoulder 35 or 36 pulls the latch bolt 1 inwardly to release the latch so that the door may be opened.

It is also seen in Fig. 5, that the inner or left hand end of main shaft 6-7 is formed with a projecting portion 37 over which is seated a complemental opening in the turning handle 9, the latter being secured to said projection 37 by a set screw 38, whereby the main shaft may be turned from the inside of the door by the handle 9, similar to its being turned from the outside by the knob 8.. In Fig. 5 it is also seen that the locking shaft has fixed to its inner end an eccentrically located pin 41. The rear end face of the locking shaft 15 falls in a plane close to the plane of the inner face of the marginal tube 27 of the. door.

Fixed to the inner face of the marginal tube 27 of the door, by screws or the like 42, is a flat ring 43, or keeper member, having a circular opening 44 within which the main. shaft'may rotate, and at its bottom edgev a pair of spaced apart, upturned lugs or spaced flanges 45-46, between which is adapted to slide a locking bolt 47 which slidably extends through an. opening 48 formed through the opposite walls of they tubular extension 6 of the main shaft. Locking bolt 47 has formed in one edge near its bottom end portion, a slot 49 within which is seated the eccentric pin 41, and which last mentioned slotis of greater depth and length than the diameter of eccentric pin 41 to permit manual. movement of locking bolt 47 into and out of locking engagement between lugs 45-46 when desired.

To facilitate said manual operation of lock bolt 47, it has fixed thereto near its upper end, by a screw 50, or other'suitable fastening means, a cup-shaped button 51 having a circular flange 52 formed with a notch 53 within which the upper end of the lock bolt 47 is fixedly sea-ted. The inside diameter of flange 52 is substantially larger than the vertical diameter, as viewed in Figs. 3, 6 and 7, of flat ring 43, so as to provide the necessary play to permit button 51 to be manually manipulated in the longitudinal direction of the lock bolt 47 for moving the lock bolt with relation to opening 48 in the main shaft and the space between lugs 45-46, into and out of lock.-

ing position. As seen in Figs. 6 and 7, a spring detent 54 is provided in the space between one side edge of the lock bolt and the adjacent edge of opening 48 in the main shaft. This detent has a rounded nose 55 intermediate of its length to releasably and selectively receive the small notches 56 and 57 formed in the lock bolt. This detent thus prevents the lock bolt from accidentally slipping out of the locked or unlocked position into which it may have been adjusted, and yet permit it to be moved into and out of locking position by the key, or by the manually operated button 51 as desired.

The manner in which the main shaft 6'7 and its associated parts are mounted in the marginal tubing of the metal door, will be readily understood in Fig. 5. The manner of mounting the latch bolt 1 and its associated parts in the door tubing will also be understood in Figs. 4 and 9, in which views it will be clear that the pull-back bar 3 may, due to its hook-shape, be inserted through the upper opening in the door tubing as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, and then by suitable angular manipulation it can be hooked over the tubular extension 6' of the main shaft, and into the semicircular slot 5', after which the anchor plate 25 will be secured into the channel edge of the door tubing by screws 26. If desired, the latch bolt 1 and its pull-back bar 3 may be inserted in the door tubing 27 first, with a suitable twisting motion, the latch bolt depressed, and the main shaft 67 then inserted through openings 10 and 11, and the latch bolt released toseat semicircular edge 4 in the semicircular slot 5.

It is believed the operation of my improved latching mechanism will be understood from the above description when read in connection with the drawings, but for clarity the following steps are referred to. As is clear in Figs. 5 and 4, rotation of the outside knob 8, or the inside handle 9, in either direction, will retract the latch bolt 1 which, when the knob or handle is freed, will return to latching position because of spring 31. During this time it is assumed that the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position of Fig. 6, which will permit the main shaft 67-, the lockingshaft 15, the lock bolt 47 and the hollow button 51 to rotate together as a unit, the detent ball 19; see Fig. 8, and particularly the tumbler lock 16, insuring that the locking shaft 15 will rotate with the main shaft 6-7 during this-time. The locking mechanism being in its normal unlocked position, the door may be opened or shut-fromeither theoutside or the inside. This rotation of parts as a unit will be understood inFig. 6', which shows the lock bolt 47 as being withdrawn from between the two lugs 45-46, and hence capable of moving in a rotational directionwith the main shaft.

To. lockthe door from the outside, insertion of the key in slot 18. will cause the tumbler lock 16 todisengage thelocking shaft 15 from gripping engagement with tubular extension. 6 and permit the locking shaft to be rotated with relation to the tubular extension. The locking shaft 15. willthen rotate within the tubular extension 6 asthe key is turned, and force the detent ball 19 out ofitsd'e pression 21. This rotation of shaft 15 will cause movement of the eccentric pin41 which will move inslot 49. in the lock bolt until it strikes the lower edge of this slot and forces the. lock bolt 47 between lugs 451-46, thus leaving the latching mechanism locked fromthe outside of the door upon removal of the key. The slot 49 is enlarged sufficiently to permit movement of the lock bolt 47 upwardly ordownwardly under movement of the button 51' manually by the operator when the eccentric pin 41 is in neutral position, and also to permit movement of the lock bolt into and out of locking position by the eccentric pin 41 upon rotation of the locking shaft 15 by a key from the outside. For illustration, in Fig. 6, the eccentric pin 41 is shown in neutral position after the lock bolt has been moved into unlocked position by the key and'the eccentric pin returned to neutral position upon removal of the key, or after the lock bolt has been man- Ra y p hed upwar y t unlocked p nv by he op- (starter pushing upwardly on the button 51'. In Fig. 7 the eccentric pin 41 is shown in neutral position after the lock bolt has been moved into locked position by the key, and the eccentric pin returned to neutral position upon removal of the key, or after the lock bolt has been manually pushed downwardly into locked position by the operator pushing downwardly on the button 51.

When it is desired to unlock the door from the outside, this may be done only by inserting the key and rotating it in the unlocking direction to move the latch bolt upwardly as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7. However, when the door is locked by the key from the outside, it may be manually unlocked from the inside by a push on the button 51 in a direction to move the lock bolt 47 out of the space between the lugs 45-46. This is made possible by the excess length of slot 49 over the diameter of eccentric pin 41. This excess length of slot 49 is sufiicient to enable the lock bolt to be manually moved by button 51 to either locked or unlocked position from inside the door.

It is thus seen that when the door is locked it can be unlocked from the outside only by the proper key, but it can be unlocked from the inside manually by the button 51. Also when the door is unlocked it can be locked from the outside only by the key, but it can be locked from the inside manually by button 51. In other words, the door can be locked or unlocked from the outside only by the key, but it can be locked or unlocked from the inside manually and independently of the outside key.

While my latching mechanism has been described above as applied to a metal door, I wish it understood that it can be applied to a Wooden door by hinging the pull-back bar 3 to the rear end of the latch bolt 1 outside of the tube 24 as will be seen in Figs. and 11. When applied to a wooden door, the main shaft 6-7 and its associated parts can be installed in the main cross hole in the same manner as described above in connection with the metal door. In applying the latch bolt 1 through its hole in the wooden door, which will be at right angles to the main shaft hole in a plane thereabove with a connecting space between the two holes, the hinged hook part of the pull-back bar will be swung inwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, and then inserted through the hole to the inside, where it will swing down into operative position with relation to the semicircular slot 5 described above in the metal door. As seen in Figs. 10 and 11, the hinged hook part 3' is formed at its upper end, to the latch side of pin 2, with a widened portion 60 which, when the hook part is in normal operative position, will touch the top edge of the rear extension of the latch bolt, so that this widened portion 60 will bear against said latch bolt rear extension and cause the latch bolt to be retracted when the main shaft is rotated in either direction, as in the form of Figs. l9. The latch bolt 1 and pull-back bar 3' may be inserted first, after which the main shaft 67 may be inserted, if desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Latching mechanism, comprising, a main shaft, a turning member secured to said main shaft, a latch bolt movable in a direction at right angles to the main shaft and offset transversely thereof, a pull-back bar connected to the latch bolt and extending transversely behind the main shaft, said main shaft having formed in its rear side a slot extending transversely halfway therethrough, each of the ends of said slot forming an abutment shoulder, the transversely extending portion of the pull-back bar having a forward edge seated in said slot, a shoulder at each end of said edge respectively opposite the slot shoulders, a spring normally urging the latch bolt to projected position and said forward edge into said slot, whereby upon rotation of said turning member the main shaft will rotate and one or the other of said slot shoulders will engage the adjacent edge shoulder depending upon the direction of rotation, to move the pull-back bar and latch bolt rearwardly to unlatched position, said main shaft having a transverse opening extending therethrough, a lock bolt mounted in said opening for movement therein in a directiontransversely of the main shaft, a stationary lock-bolt-receiving member into and out of which the lock bolt is movable, and key operated means in the main shaft for moving said lock bolt with relation to the stationary member, for locking and unlocking the main shaft against and for rotation.

2. Latching mechanism, comprising, a main shaft having a cylindrical tubular extension, a turning member secured to said tubular extension, a latch bolt movable in a direction at right angles to the main shaft and offset transversely thereof, a pull-back bar connected to the latch bolt and extending transversely behind the main shaft, said tubular extension having a transverse slot therethrough extending halfway around its circumference on its rear side, a lock bolt movably mounted in the main shaft and transversely slidable therein, a stationary lock-boltreceiving member into and out of which the lock bolt is movable, a cylindrical locking shaft rotatably mounted in said tubular extension, an eccentric pin on the inner end of the locking shaft adjacent the lock bolt, said lock bolt having a recess into which said eccentric pin extends to move the lock bolt into and out of said stationary lockbolt-receiving member upon rotation of the locking shaft with relation to the main shaft, said transversely extending portion of the pull-back bar having a semicircular edge seated in said slot in the tubular extension and having a shoulder at each end, spring means normally urging the latch bolt to projected position and said semicircular edge into said slot, whereby upon rotation of the main shaft one or the other of the ends of the slot in the tubular extension will push against the adjacent shoulder of the semicircular edge of the extending portion of the pullback bar and move the latch bolt to retracted position.

3. Latching mechanism as claimed in claim 2, including key operated means in the outer end of the locking shaft for rotating the locking shaft with relation to the tubular extension for operating the lock bolt.

4. Latching mechanism, comprising, a main shaft hav' ing a cylindrical tubular extension, handle means for rotating the main shaft, a latch bolt movable in a direction at right angles to the main shaft and offset transversely thereof, l8, pull-back bar connectedv to the latch bolt and extending to a position behind the tubular extension, a lock bolt transversely slidable in the main shaft, stationary means into and out of which said lock bolt is movable, a cylindrical locking sh-aft rotatably mounted in the tubular extension, means on said locking shaft for moving said lock bolt, said tubular extension having a transverse slot in its rear side into which the pull-back bar extension seats for movement of the latch bolt upon rotation of the main shaft, a key operated tumbler lock in the locking shaft for rotating the locking shaft with relation to the main shaft, and detent means between the tubular extension and the locking shaft to facilitate positioning the locking shaft so as to bring the tumblers into position to be locked and unlocked with relation to the tubular extension.

5. Latching mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which said detent means includes the tubular extension being formed with a hole, said locking shaft having a depression directly below said hole, a ball in said hole, said handle means having a slot extending laterally above said hole, and spring means in the last mentioned slot for normally holding the ball in the depression when the tumblers are in looking position but enable rotation of the locking shaft with relation to the main shaft when the locking shaft is rotated by the key.

6. Latching mechanism, comprising, a main shaft having a cylindrical tubular extension, handle means for rotating the main shaft, a latch bolt movable in a direction at right angles to the main shaft and offset transversely thereof, a pull-back bar connected to the latch bolt and extending to a position behind the tubular extension, a lock bolt transversely slidable in the main shaft, stationary meansvinto andou t of which said lock bolt is movable, a cylindrical, looking shaft rot-atably mounted in the-tubular extension, means, on -said lockin g shaft for moving said lock bolt, said tubular extension having a tnansverse slot initsrear-side into which the pull-backhar extension seats for movement of the latch bolt upon rotation of the main shaft, key operated means for rotating the locking shaft with relation to the main shaft, said means on the locking shaft for movingthe lock bolt including an eccentric pin onthe inner end ofthe locking shaft, the lock bolthaving a slot into which the eccentric pin extends, said lock bolt slot being enlarged to enable movement of the l'ock bolt independently of the eccentric pin, and a manipulatingmembea' fixed tothe lock, bolt for moving, the lock bolt into and out of engagementwith said: stationary means.

References Cited in the file of thispatent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,689,875 Jacobi Oct. 30, 1928' l',768;193 De Vita June 24; 1930 1,923,149 Hughes Aug. 22, 1933 $002,619 Voight May 28, 1935' 2,008,405 Schlage July 16, 1935 2,231,443 Gerhard et a1 Feb. 11, 1941 2,357g551' Schlage Sept.z5, 1944 

